Wow, this brings me back. In the late 1980s/early 90s, I lived in the Orange Tree subdivision, across Turkey Lake Road from Universal Studios Florida, so this was my neighborhood. I remember riding my bike through that loooooong parking area (that's now Islands of Adventure) to go claim my daily free ticket to USF, during that first summer when Universal was giving free return tickets to all visitors since so little worked in the park that first year.

I also remember eating at the old Hard Rock Cafe many times. You could park in the lot to the left there and enter the HRC without having a park admission, or you could come in via the park, as well. (They'd check your ticket when you tried to return. Well, most of the time....) If you look closely, you can see how the bridge over the road, leading to the parking lot, formed the neck of the "guitar" upon which the Hard Rock Cafe was built.

Tucked into the lower left corner of the fifth photo is the Hilton at Florida Center -- the first hotel to open on International Drive. It's the square-cornered hotel with the spot of blue pool in the courtyard.

Wow! Thanks for the information about using the time slider feature on Google Earth. I love looking at how things have changed and to see that my new favourite ride is where a swamp or parking lot used to be. I visited US in the mid 90's and could not remember where the old Hard Rock was that I ate at until viewing your photos. Thanks. What really struck me after viewing old photos of WDW vs. US is the amount of changes in US compared to the small changes at WDW. WDW will always be my sentimental favourite, but Universal seems destined to surpass it with prescience, expansions, and new ideas. If only they had more land to expand they would surely blow Disney away. I'm headed to US Singapore next week and will file a trip report like a good TPI soldier, Robert.

Excellent! I love Singapore -- and the whole area around Universal's great fun. The one ride I've not gotten to go on there, though, is the Jurassic Park raft ride. (They're the circular tubs, like on Popeye at IoA, instead of the more traditional front-facing boats.) I'd love to hear your take on those. Mummy is amazingly dark, and I'd love to hear a review of KT's Grill and the new Sesame Street ride.